The Great Gatsby Theme Essay

Theme Theme is the moral or lesson of the piece of literature. The author takes his knowledge and experiences to help convey the theme. The writer may also use his opinions to help teach the reader. In “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald he uses theme in many ways. Fitzgerald uses theme to convey his feelings towards relationships and money in the upper class. Happiness is feeling content and good with your life and the things that are happening in it. Most people associate great wealth with happiness, however Fitzgerald shows that he thinks money cannot achieve a state of happiness through the characters in the book. One example is on page 132. Gatsby says “’Daisy that’s all over now’, he said earnestly. ‘It doesn’t matter anymore. Just tell him the truth—that you never loved him—and it’s all wiped out forever.’” Gatsby is telling Daisy to say that she never loved Tom, her husband, and to say she has only ever had eyes for him. None of them are happy, Tom is cheating on Daisy, Daisy is cheating on Tom, and Gatsby is trying to make himself believe that Daisy has

Relationships are meant to be long lasting and plentiful, however, Fitzgerald shows the reader that love is the exact opposite. One example is on pages 25 and 26. “She smiled slowly, and, walking through her husband as if he were a ghost, shook hands with Tom, looking him flush in the eye.” Another example is on page 132. Daisy says to Gatsby, “Oh you want too much! I love you now—isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past. I did love him once—but I loved you too.” Daisy is trying to say that she used to love Tom but now she loves Gatsby. In reality though, Daisy doesn’t feel true love for Tom, or Gatsby. She’s using them for her own happiness. In the first example, Myrtle, Tom’s mistress, totally brushes off her husband and starts swooning over Tom. Everybody’s “love” for each other is a complete